Archeologist Job

Vacancy No. AK-1537-AKRO-25-12454478-DE Department National Park Service
Salary $32.46 to $42.19 Grade 9 to 9
Perm/Temp Temporary FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 12/2/2024 Close Date 12/23/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Bartlett Cove, AKDenali Park, AKFairbanks, AKKing Salmon, AK


Summary

These positions are temporary and may not exceed 1039 hours (six months) in a service year. They may be terminated sooner or extended depending on management needs.

Positions may not be filled at every duty station.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizens, Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL).

Duties

The typical seasonal entry-on-duty period for each duty station is listed below. These employment periods can be variable during these months due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding.

  • Denali National Park and Preserve (DENA) - Denali Park, Alaska - Anticipated employment period is April - September. Anticipated Entrance on Duty: April 2025.
  • Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve (GLBA) - Bartlett Cove, Alaska - Anticipated employment period is May - October. Anticipated Entrance on Duty: May 2025.
  • Katmai National Park and Preserve (KATM) - Brooks Camp and King Salmon, Alaska - Anticipated employment period is April - September. For Brooks Camp (KATM), apply to Lake and Peninsula County, Alaska. Anticipated Entrance on Duty: April 2025.
  • Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve & Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve (YUGA) - Fairbanks, Alaska - Anticipated employment period is May - September. Anticipated Entrance on Duty: May 2025.
The work involves conducting archeological fieldwork in various areas of Alaska. Depending on the location and project, archeological resources studies may be prehistoric or historic in nature. Duties typically include:
  • Acting as Crew Chief and overseeing fieldwork and data collection activities.
  • Inventorying and monitoring the condition of cultural resources and compliance projects in areas impacted by construction and visitor activities.
  • Performing archeological surveys, test excavations, laboratory processing and analysis of artifacts recovered.
  • Providing historical and archeological information to visitors.
  • Managing archeological collections according to established museum procedures.
  • Preparing detailed field notes and records, daily logs and journals, photographs and photo logs, archeological and architectural forms, feature and artifact drawings.
  • Preparing monthly progress reports and a final seasonal report with the assistance of field staff.
  • Using and overseeing the use of GPS, GIS and other computer software in support of data collection and reporting activities.
Some of your time may be spent in the backcountry for periods of up to eight days or longer. You will be required to live outdoors in a tent, hike in a backcountry setting without trails or modern amenities and may be transported in helicopters, fixed wing aircraft, motorized and non-motorized watercraft.

Field work requires physical exertion such as long periods of standing. Heavy items (packs and equipment) must be lifted and carried on a routine basis, e.g., overnight backpack trips, 2-10 days in duration. You may be required to carry a 45-pound pack for up to 15 miles per day and to hike in steep, uneven terrain, often in inclement weather. Archeological survey and investigations require recurring bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching or similar activities and recurring lifting and carrying moderately heavy to heavy items.

Camping and hiking are often in backcountry with high probability of wildlife encounters including brown or black bears. You may be required to complete a firearm safety certification prior to starting field work.

Selectees may be moved between duty stations within park boundaries.

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship required.
  • Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males.
  • Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
  • At Brooks Camp (Lake and Peninsula), Denali, Fairbanks, and King Salmon duty stations you will be required to submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test result prior to your appointment. In addition, you will be subject to random testing for illegal drug use.
  • At Brooks Camp (Lake and Peninsula), Denali, Fairbanks, and King Salmon, you will be required to submit to a drug test based on the collateral duty requiring firearms in the back-country or other locations for non-law enforcement reasons such as protection from animals.
  • You will be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver's license is required. You will be required to submit a Motor Vehicle Operator's License and Driving Record. You must also submit (within a State sealed envelope or submitted directly by the State authorities), and at your own expense, all certified driving records from all States that disclose all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you.
  • You may be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
  • You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.
  • You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 21 nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
Government Housing is available at - Brooks Camp, Denali Park, and King Salmon, Alaska duty stations.

Government Housing may be available at - Bartlett Cove, Alaska duty station.

Government Housing is not available at - Fairbanks, Alaska duty station.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-12/23/2024-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

Resume - Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the number of hours worked per week, full-time, or part-time. If you indicate part-time, you MUST indicate the number of hours worked per week so that your qualifying experience can be prorated for credit.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS have been established for all Archeologist positions in the federal government. To qualify for this position at the GS-9 grade level, you must possess one of the four basic requirements (A-D) as listed below by the close of the announcement:

A) EDUCATION: A bachelor's degree or higher-level degree that included 3 semester hours each in the following 5 course areas:
  1. History of archeology;
  2. Archeology of a major geographical area such as North America or Africa;
  3. Regional archeology, archeological cultures, or sites in a specific part or portion of a major geographical area to acquire or develop a foundation for regional specialization for professional development;
  4. Theory and methods of archeology. Methods include, but are not limited to, typology, classification, sampling, cultural evolution, diffusion, dating and analytical techniques;
  5. Archeological field school, to provide a basic understanding of theoretical and practical approaches to research design implementation, field preservation techniques, and report preparation by participation in actual field work;
AND

In addition, six semester hours of related course work in:
  • geography, geology, or cultural geography;
  • history, historiography, or historical archeology;
  • environmental studies;
  • scientific writing (nonfiction English composition); and/or
  • surveying;
AND

Archeological field school.

You must include a copy of your transcripts to support the requirements listed above.

-OR-

B) RELATED CURRICULUM: A bachelor's degree or higher-level degree in anthropology (with emphasis on ethnology, physical anthropology, or scientific linguistics), history, American studies, or a related discipline may be accepted as satisfying in full the educational requirements, provided the curriculum supplied academic course work sufficiently similar to the requirements stated in A above (including archeological field school). (You must include a copy of your transcripts.)

-OR-

C) COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: College-level education or training that provided knowledge equivalent to that described in A above, plus appropriate technical experience or additional education. (You must include a copy of your transcripts, and the number of hours worked per week within your resume.)

-OR-

D) EXPERIENCE: Four years of archeological work experience that demonstrated a thorough knowledge of the fundamental principles and theories of professional archeology. The work experience must have included archeology field experience, which may include that gained in an archeological field school. Field experience should have included a combination of professional experience in archeological survey, excavation, laboratory analysis, and preparation of written materials. Applicants with such field experience should, after additional experience under the direction of a higher-grade archeologist, be able to demonstrate the ability to be a crew chief, directing the work of others at a single location as a part of a larger archeological project. (You must include the number of hours worked per week within your resume.)

-AND-

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - (Specialized Experience and/or Education): In addition to meeting at least one of the four basic requirements, to qualify for this position at the GS-9 grade level, you must also possess at least one of the following three minimum qualifications listed below by the close of the announcement:

1) SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level in the federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Examples of specialized experience may include: conducting archeological surveys, data recovery excavations and monitoring of projects; planning and performing field inspections, research and testing, and project resource assessments; reviewing cultural resource permits and fieldwork plans; utilizing computerized systems to process and analyze archeological data; writing archeological reports on field investigations; and writing Determinations of Eligibility and National Register Nominations for archeological properties. (You must include the number of hours worked per week within your resume.)

-OR-

2) EDUCATION: Two years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree that is directly related to the position being filled. (You must include a copy of your transcripts, and the number of hours worked per week within you resume.)

-OR-

3) COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE as described above: To calculate your percentage of qualifying graduate education, divide your number of semester hours in excess of 18 semester hours by 18 or the number your school uses to represent one year of full time graduate academic study. To calculate your percentage of experience, divide your months of qualifying specialized experience by 12. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. (You must include a copy of your transcripts, and the number of hours worked per week within your resume.)

Volunteer Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

Additional information

A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected. The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay.

Individuals selected under this vacancy announcement are eligible for the possibility of extensions or rehire in subsequent service years.

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

Non-Competitive Rehire Eligibility: Temporary seasonal employees can only maintain their non-competitive rehire eligibility if they work no more than a combined total of Temporary NTE less than 1040 hours anywhere in the National Park Service (NPS) within their established service year. Accordingly, non-competitive rehire eligibility allows for re-appointment to the same position or another position appropriate for temporary appointment with the same qualification requirements (5 CFR 316.402[b][7]), based on series and grade, anywhere in the major subdivision (NPS).

If you have held a temporary seasonal appointment in the past 12 months and have already worked the maximum temporary appointment less than 1040 hours during that period, you are still welcome to apply. However, please be aware that exceeding the limit of 1039 hours in your established service year will result in the loss of your non-competitive rehire eligibility.

The limit can be exceeded by working multiple temporary seasonal positions that result in a combined total greater than 1039 hours. The limit also can be exceeded by working a single temporary seasonal appointment that exceeds 1039 hours, unless granted an exception by OPM.

Employment may be terminated at any time due to fluctuations in funding levels, project needs, employee performance, or other considerations.

Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid. All travel, transportation, and relocation expenses associated with reporting for duty in this position will be the sole responsibility of the selected employee.

Alaska currently does not have a state income tax.

The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for occasional/situational telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with prior supervisory approval.

Physical Demands: The position may require strenuous physical activity including periods of standing, walking, climbing, and lifting and carrying heavy objects. Some activities will occur in physically dangerous areas or settings. Documentary research and report writing work are sedentary, which entails the ability to concentrate and write for long periods of time.

Working Conditions: Work is performed both indoors and outdoors in all types of weather. Assignments may be performed in potentially hazardous areas including steep slopes, rocky terrain, volcanoes, caves, firelines, arctic environments, swamps, deserts, and forests. Flying in fixed-winged aircraft and helicopters is possible.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), and the responses you provide on the application questionnaire for this position. A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Assessment Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score will be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you can lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions can affect your rating.

Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Veterans with a service connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher. Under Category Rating, candidates will be rated and ranked into one of three categories:

  • Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position
  • Well Qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job
  • Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.
You will be evaluated on the following competencies:
  • History and Archaeology
  • Research
  • Teamwork
  • Technical Competence
  • Technical Competence
  • Technology Application


In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process.

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 12/23/2024:

  1. Resume - Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the number of hours worked per week, full-time, or part-time. If you indicate part-time, you MUST indicate the number of hours worked per week so that your qualifying experience can be prorated for credit. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade.
  2. Complete All Required Assessments.
  3. Other Supporting Documents, if applicable, such as:
    • Veterans Preference Documentation:
      • If you are a Discharged, Non-Disabled Veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character of discharge (Member 4 copy), or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF15. If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives.
      • If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.
      • If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Mother or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF15, and if applicable, a completed SF15. You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from www.ebenefits.va.gov or call 1-800-827-1000 to establish proof of disability.
  4. College transcripts, if qualifying based on education.
  5. Documentation for Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan consideration if you are a displaced Federal employee within the local commuting area. You must include: 1) Proof you are a displaced Federal employee, e.g., RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal. To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be rated well-qualified or above 85 on the rating criteria for this position.
Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc.

Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

To apply for this position: You must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. To receive consideration, the complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 12/23/2024. You must provide documentation to support your claim for each eligibility selected. Please review the required documentation listed in the eligibilities language to ensure you submit the appropriate information. Note: You will only be marked eligible for those eligibilities that you selected and provided the appropriate supporting documentation.

WE DO NOT ACCEPT HARD-COPY OR E-MAIL APPLICATION PACKAGES.

  1. Select Apply. If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to login or create an account.
  2. Prompted to Start the Application Process by selecting "Start Application."
  3. Select or add the resume you want to use for this application. Click here on how to build a resume in USAJOBS.
  4. Select documents you want included in this application.
  5. Review package to acknowledge your documents were reviewed.
  6. Select if you want to include your demographic information.
  7. After reading and certifying the application is true and submitted in good faith, select "Continue to Agency Site."
  8. Follow onscreen prompts and instructions to complete your application.
  9. Add the supporting documents by indexing your documents with the dropdown.
    • Upload any missing required documents or optional documents.
  10. Review and Submit Application.
  11. While logged in, you can check the status of your application by selecting "+" next to the job title for this position.
  12. You can review or revise your application at any point during the open period of the announcement.
    • To update an application, you should log into your USAJOBS account and select "+" next to the job title for this position. Select "Update Application" for this job.
    • Note: When you click Update Application, you will be prompted to re-select your documents from USAJOBS. Documents submitted with the first application will no longer be associated with the applicant record. So it is important that you select all documents you want to use in the re-application.

Agency contact information

HR Assistant
Address
Alaska Regional Office
240 W 5th Avenue
Anchorage, AK 99501
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once the Occupational Questionnaire is received you will receive acknowledgement that your submission was successful. If you are among the most qualified candidates and your name is referred to the hiring official, you may be contacted directly for a possible interview. You will be notified of the status of your Application Package at the time candidates are referred for consideration, and when the selection process is complete.

A Recruitment Incentive May Be Authorized for a newly selected employee when appointed to a permanent, temporary, or term position. A Federal employee who is transferring to the National Park Service from another component, bureau or Federal agency and who does not meet the conditions under 5 CFR §575.102 is not eligible for a recruitment incentive.

A Relocation Incentive May Be Authorized for a Federal employee when the employee must move, as directed by the National Park Service (NPS) either through a management directed reassignment or selection for employment, to a different location at least 50 miles away from the one where his/her position of record held at time of selection is currently located, due to a need of the NPS. A relocation incentive is not the same as a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move and, as such, may be granted in conjunction with one another.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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